


Christmas at Candy Cane Corner

by ukulelekatie



Category: Carmilla (Web Series), Carmilla - All Media Types
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Holidays, Mistletoe, Sharing a Bed, Snow, Snowed In, Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 15:09:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17123693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ukulelekatie/pseuds/ukulelekatie
Summary: After a blizzard leaves Carmilla stranded in the festive little town of Silas during the holidays, her worst nightmare comes true when the only available place to stay is a Christmas-themed inn. There, she crosses paths with Laura, a Christmas fanatic who is also stuck in Silas. The two could not possibly be more different when it comes to their opinions on Christmas, but being forced to spend the holiday together reveals that they have much more of a connection than they think...





	Christmas at Candy Cane Corner

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas! After disappointedly discovering the lack of LGBTQ Christmas movies out there, I set out on a mission to write a hollstein fic in the style of every trope-filled Hallmark Christmas Movie. This is the longest one-shot fic I've ever written, and it was a challenge to finish it in such short time, but it was a blast to write and I hope you enjoy it! 
> 
> Thoughts are in italics, snowflakes indicate scene/POV changes.
> 
> See the movie poster here: https://imgur.com/a/NaCEXzW

❄ DECEMBER 21 ❄ 

 

Carmilla was in hell.

 

Okay, technically, she was in Indiana, but it certainly felt like hell to her. 

 

She hated everything about the airport she had unexpectedly landed in just twenty minutes ago. The fluorescent lights and the shouting children and the smell of mediocre food court meals and the roaring of suitcases rolling along the tile floors of the tiny airport was enough to make her go insane, but with the garish Christmas decorations nearly everywhere, she was starting to feel as if she had entered her own personal nightmare realm. 

 

Still a bit groggy from the nap she had been so rudely awoken from by the flight crew announcing their descent, she sluggishly trudged over to a nearby row of benches, suitcase trailing behind her, and collapsed onto the seat. Then she took her phone out of her pocket and dialed Mattie’s number. 

 

“Hello, darling,” Mattie’s greeted her through the speaker. “What are you doing calling me so soon? I thought your flight wasn’t supposed to land for another four hours.” 

 

Carmilla exhaled. “I’m in Indiana. The flight was diverted. Why did no one bother to tell me about this massive blizzard apparently coming to wreak havoc on the entire midwestern United States?”

 

“Oh,” her sister replied, intrigued. “Well, no matter. The storm will pass and you’ll be on the next flight to LA faster than you can say ‘bah humbug.’ Just in time to ring in the holidays with your favorite sister. And Will, of course.” 

 

Carmilla could just barely make out a distorted “Hey, Kitty!” from the background noises coming from Mattie’s end.

 

“I don’t know about that,” Carmilla said, staring at the alarming number of flights labeled DELAYED or CANCELLED. “Seems I’ll be spending a day or two in bumfuck nowhere.” 

 

“You’re not going to call Mother?” 

 

“Absolutely not,” Carmilla said through gritted teeth. If there was anything that could possibly make this situation worse, it was getting Lilita involved. “There’s no way I’m accepting help from that woman.” 

 

“Suit yourself, sis. But if you change your mind, I’m sure I can get her to pull some strings. Even if transportation is impossible with the inclement weather, there’s bound to be some five-star hotel in the area she can work her magic to put you up in for a few nights.” 

 

_ Yeah, right,  _ Carmilla thought. “Thanks, Mattie. But I really don’t want to involve her in this mess.”

 

“Very well, then. Enjoy your stay in the middle-of-nowhere. Call me when you know where you’ll be staying.” 

 

“Sure. Tell Will I said not to go too crazy with the eggnog,” Carmilla remarked. 

 

“Will do. Ta-ta.” 

 

As soon as Mattie hung up, Carmilla switched apps and called an Uber. She needed to get out of here, and fast. 

 

❄❄❄

 

“What do you mean there are no rooms available?” Carmilla snapped at the timid concierge in front of her. “Don’t you have  _ anything  _ open?” 

 

“M-Ma’am, you’re going to need to calm down, or I’ll have to have you removed from the premises,” he stammered. 

 

“Fine. I didn’t want to stay in this crappy hotel anyway.” And with that, Carmilla stormed out of the lobby and through the revolving door of the third hotel she had visited that night. 

 

Once outside, she let out a groan. It was getting late‒the sun had gone down hours ago, and the temperature had dropped significantly, which was proving to be a huge inconvenience considering Carmilla had been planning on sunny California weather and had only bothered to wear her leather jacket. The clothes she had packed in her suitcase certainly wouldn’t be of much use in this climate, either. 

 

Her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten anything since the bland, boring snacks the flight attendants had offered her. Luckily, the hotel she had just dramatically exited was situated conveniently next door to a diner, so she wheeled her suitcase a few meters down to the small building decorated with a neon sign at the front. 

 

The bell on the door jingled as she pushed it open, immediately getting hit with warmth and the scents of coffee and fryer oil.

 

By the entrance stood a woman, bathed in the light of the fluorescent lamps above, with an apron tied around her waist. She was busy swirling a wet rag over the surface of one of the tables, but soon turned around and faced Carmilla with a friendly grin. “Welcome, have a seat anywhere and I’ll be right over to take your order!” She said. 

 

Carmilla proceeded down the aisle of tables in search of a place to sit—the diner was nearly empty, so she had plenty of options to choose from. Eventually she helped herself to a booth at the opposite end of the diner, slid into the seat, and picked up one of the laminated menus resting on the table. 

 

Just as promised, the young waitress trotted over to her table mere seconds after Carmilla had sat down. “Sorry for the wait,” she said, as she pulled a small notepad out her pocket. “Can I start you off with anything to drink?” 

 

“Coffee,” Carmilla answered, adding a quiet, less-than-genuine “please” as an afterthought. 

 

“Sure thing, hon. Have a look at the rest of the menu and I’ll be back with your coffee in no time. My name is Belle, call if you need anything.” 

 

Belle turned around and Carmilla returned her attention to the menu. She scanned list after list of greasy, indulgent, undoubtedly unhealthy items ranging from breakfast foods to sandwiches to homemade pies, contemplating which to order.

 

Soon, her server returned with a piping hot mug of coffee, a small pitcher of milk, and an assortment of sweeteners. “Have you decided on an order?” She asked.

 

“I’ll have a tuna melt,” Carmilla said as the waitress placed the coffee and its fixins on the table. Much to her surprise, though, Carmilla opted to sip the coffee black. “Side of onion rings.”

 

“Alright, that’ll be ready in just a few minutes,” Belle replied as she scribbled Carmilla’s order onto her notepad. Carmilla expected the waitress to leave quickly again, but this time, she lingered. “You here for the holidays?” She added. 

 

“Not intentionally. I’m supposed to be in LA, but this blizzard has other plans.”

 

“Oh, that’s awful!” Belle gave her a sympathetic look. 

 

“Tell me about it,” Carmilla sighed. 

 

“So where are you from originally?” 

 

“Toronto.” 

 

“Wow,” she replied. “Canada. So you must be used to the cold weather here, then.” 

 

“I guess,” Carmilla replied, curtly. 

 

The waitress laughed, then left the table once again. 

 

Carmilla placed her elbows on the table and rested her head gently against her arms as she stared out the window, through which she could see the first few snowflakes of the blizzard fluttering down to the ground. Unamused, she reached for her phone. There were no new text messages or notifications, but that didn't stop her from opening Twitter and aimlessly scrolling through its contents, barely bothering to read the endless stream words that cycled across her screen. 

 

Just as Belle promised, Carmilla’s order arrived within minutes. “Careful, the plate is very hot,” she said, placing the plate in front of her. “Can I get you anything else?” 

 

“A place to stay would be nice,” Carmilla tried. Maybe scoring a one night stand would secure her a place to spend the night at best and some mediocre sex at worst. But was she really that desperate?

 

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), Belle seemed oblivious to Carmilla’s advances. She merely chuckled at the remark. “I’m afraid I can't help with that one.” 

 

“Seriously, what does a girl have to do to get a nice warm bed around here? All the hotels are full,”

 

The woman shrugged. “It’s not usually this packed on the off-season, but it’s that time of year where places fill up fast. If you wanted to stay here over Christmas you would have needed to place a reservation weeks ago, or even months ago for some places.”

 

Carmilla rolled her eyes. “Yeah, well, it’s a bit late for that.” 

 

“I’m afraid it’s only going to get worse as you get further from the city. Well, except for Silas. It’s a bit out of the way, maybe thirty miles east of here, but you might be able to find somewhere to stay there.” 

 

_ Fantastic,  _ Carmilla thought.  _ Even more traveling.  _ “Thanks. Guess I’ll be heading east then.” 

 

“No problem at all! And I can guarantee, you’ll love it there. It’s such a charming little town, especially around the holidays. Oh, and you’ll be there just in time for the big Christmas Celebration!” the waitress gushed. 

 

“Great,” Carmilla said flatly. 

 

Belle chuckled. “I’ll leave you now before your food gets too cold,” she said, and quickly vanished back into the kitchen.

 

❄❄❄

 

“Dad, I really don't need to check the overhead storage bin for scorpions before I put my luggage in it,” Laura huffed into her phone, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. “I’ve been on how many flights in the past year? And I have yet to encounter a single scorpion.” 

 

“Well, it’s better to be safe than sorry. And don't talk to strangers,” Sherman advised. 

 

“Dad, I’m a journalist. It’s my job to talk to strangers.” With her one free hand, Laura pulled back the covers to the bed and looked to make sure she hadn't left anything behind. She then moved to the ensuite bathroom, gave it a cursory examination before establishing that none of her belongings were forgotten. “Alright, I’m leaving the room now. I can't wait to tell you all the details about my trip! I've had so much fun, writing this article is going to be a blast.”

 

“I can't wait to hear all about it, pumpkin,” Sherman said. 

 

Laura didn't need to see his face to know he was beaming. She knew deep down that despite her father’s constant anxiety over her job as a travel journalist, he really was proud of her for pursuing what she loved, even if things weren't exactly going as she had planned.

 

“It’s really too bad I’ll be missing the actual Christmas celebration though. Not that I’m  _ not _ looking forward to celebrating with you, of course,” she said.

 

“Good, because I’m looking forward to it too. I’m preparing a grocery list for our big Christmas dinner right now,” Sherman replied. 

 

“Don't forget mini marshmallows for the hot cocoa!” Laura exclaimed. 

 

“It's already on the list, honey.” 

 

“Good! Okay, I just got to the lobby so I’ll have to go check out now. I’ll call you again before the plane takes off.” 

 

“Bye, Laura,” Sherman said. “Remember to—”

 

“ _ Bye _ , Dad.” Laura grinned as she pressed the ‘End Call’ button. 

 

It didn't take too long to find Mrs. Christenberry, the innkeeper of Candy Cane Corner, Silas Indiana’s most famous holiday-themed bed and breakfast. The older woman had just set a plate of freshly-made gingerbread cookies onto the table next to the crackling fireplace in the lobby. A few of the other guests, who were lounging by the immaculately decorated Christmas tree on the other side of the foyer, made their way to the platter and began helping themselves as Mrs. Christenberry stood there with the friendliest, warmest smile Laura had ever seen.

 

Quickly, she approached the woman. “Hi, Mrs. Christenberry,” she said.

 

“Hello, hello!” Mrs. Christenberry greeted her. “Please, help yourself to some gingerbread.”

 

“Oh, actually I just came over here to return my key and check out. But if you insist,” Laura said, picking up one of the gingerbread cookies that were cut and frosted to perfectly resemble little stockings. She took a bite, and moaned. “These cookies are heavenly. I’m going to miss them once I’m back home.” 

 

“The secret ingredient is Christmas spirit,” Mrs. Christenberry winked through her wire-framed glasses. 

 

“I believe it,” Laura said with her mouth full.

 

“Now, where were we? Ah yes, you were checking out?”

 

“Yes, out of the Cupid room,” Laura said. “I love how you've named all the rooms after Santa’s reindeer.” 

 

“Glad you picked up on that,” Mrs. Christenberry winked. “Now, let's head over to the concierge desk so you can go on your merry way.”

 

Laura followed the friendly old lady over to the other side of the lobby, where the front desk stood. Mrs. Christenberry rounded the corner to the other side, where she switched out her spectacles for a pair of reading glasses. Laura reached into her pocket, taking out the key to her room, and handed it to Mrs. Christenberry, who exchanged it with a slip of paper.

 

“Alright, dearie. Please sign here, and you should be all set,” she said. 

 

Laura scrawled her signature along the page and handed it back to Mrs. Christenberry, beaming. “Thank you again for such a fantastic weekend! I really love what you do to keep the Christmas spirit alive.” 

 

“It's guests like you that keep the Candy Cane Corner spirit alive,” the innkeeper replied. “Thank you for featuring us in your magazine, I look forward to reading what you have to say!”

 

“Of course! We will send you a physical copy of the article as soon as it’s out. Goodbye!” 

 

“Bye-bye now, and Merry Christmas!” 

 

Standing there, in the lobby, Laura couldn't help but feel a little sad to leave. Sure, she had mainly visited for the purposes of writing an article for the travel blog she was running while she was between jobs, but that didn't mean her time there was all work and no play. She had to admit, being able to spend her work days traveling to new places, seeing new sights, gaining new experiences, and sharing her thoughts with the world was pretty cool.

 

Reluctantly, Laura grabbed the handle of her suitcase once more and headed toward the door. As her fingers reached for the doorknob, she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. No doubt it was another text from her father with yet another one of his unnecessary travel tips. Laura sighed, but decided on at least reading it, just in case. 

 

The notification that greeted her on her lock screen was not at all what she was expecting. Her eyes widened as she she read the name of the sender: Corvae Airlines.

 

ALERT: Due to severe weather, Flight 1698 to YYZ has been CANCELLED. For more information or to book a new flight, please visit www.mycorvaetravels.org. 

 

“Shit,” Laura mumbled under her breath, before suddenly becoming very self-conscious about swearing in such a wholesome, family-friendly environment. 

 

Without hesitation, she opened up her calls app. But before she could even hit the redial button, the name “Dad” popped up on the screen, accompanied by a photo of her dad’s round, friendly face. 

 

Laura accepted the call. “Hey dad.” 

 

Sherman had no patience for small talk, apparently. “Sweetie, I just heard about your flight cancellation,” he began. “Now, this is no time to panic.”

 

“Dad, I think you’re the one panicking here,” Laura reassured him. “It’s all going to be fine. I’ll just book a new flight, and I’ll be back in TO in no time.”

 

“I don’t know about that. I’ve got the news on, and they’re saying that this blizzard could affect thousands of flights over the next few days. And even if you were to find an airline idiotic enough to fly in this weather, it really isn’t safe.”

 

“But what about Christmas?”

 

“I know it's disappointing, but I’d really feel much better if you stayed where you are until the storm passes.”

 

“Okay,” Laura knew her father couldn’t see her rolling her eyes, but she made sure to convey it in her tone of voice. “Record the BBC programs for me.”

 

“I will. And I promise I won’t eat all of the marshmallows before you get here.” 

 

“You better not,” she giggled. “I love you, Dad. Bye.” 

 

Once Sherman hung up, Laura turned around and marched back over to the front desk to find Mrs. Christenberry. 

 

❄❄❄

 

By the time Carmilla reached Silas, the snowfall was beginning to pick up. She shivered as the cold wind rushed into the open door of the cab, bringing a flurry of snowflakes with it. 

 

Once she stepped out of the cab and onto the streets, the sights of Silas Indiana appeared before her, and it was then that she saw it for what it truly was. 

 

String lights. Festive wreaths and tinsel on lampposts. Garlands streaming through the sky. Rows of cozy storefronts with candles in the windows. A dusting of snow collecting on the sidewalk, disturbed by the footprints of tourists as they strolled happily through the town. A tall pine tree in the center plaza, towering over all of Silas.

 

It was the most charming, wintery, Christmassy village Carmilla had ever laid eyes on.

 

It was absolutely hideous.  

 

In any other situation, Carmilla would have turned, walked away, and never looked back. But unfortunately, her cab driver had already taken off into the night, and Carmilla was growing too damn tired of traveling to bother calling another one. So, she dragged her suitcase down the snow-covered sidewalk, scrutinizing the little buildings in search of somewhere to crash. 

 

First she passed a tavern, its interior filled with warm light and cheerful patrons. Next door stood the bakery with the little red chimney and an impressive window display of cookies and cakes and pastries, all decorated in red and green and gold. After that was a bookshop, perhaps the only redeeming quality of the town.

 

Finally, she reached an old, brick building with a green wooden door and matching shutters. The sign at the front of the walkway, held up by two red and white striped hook-shaped posts, read  _ Candy Cane Corner: Inn and Restaurant.  _

 

_ Nope,  _ she thought.  _ No way.  _ She had seen enough Christmas-themed horror movies to know where this was going. The inn in front of her was probably run by an evil cannibal Christmas witch who turned innocent guests into gingerbread, which she would then serve to unknowing patrons in her restaurant. The hallways were probably haunted by evil elves. Or demon reindeer.

 

But really, what choice did she have? It seemed that Candy Cane Corner was the only form of lodging for miles. And if she were to get turned to gingerbread by an evil Christmas Witch, then, well, at least she’d be put out of her misery. 

 

“Here goes,” she mumbled, as she pushed open the door to the inn. 

 

The interior of the building was a mess of tinsel and pine needles and red velvet—Christmas decorations filled the space from floor to ceiling, hanging from the rafters and adorning every window. 

 

Carmilla stepped into the foyer, which gave way to a sitting area surrounding a crackling fireplace. A few guests gathered there, mingling with one another, all seemingly happy—except for one woman, who was annoyedly huffing into her phone. 

 

She proceeded further into the lobby, taking in all of its overly festive decor with disgust. Finally, she reached the reception desk, adorned on both sides by potted poinsettia plants. There, behind the desk was an older-looking woman, whose round, rosy-cheeked face was framed by wire spectacles. She was clad in a red and green frock over long-sleeved, ruffly, white blouse, and her silver hair was pulled up into a bun, which she had adorned with boughs of holly. 

 

Everything about her, from her outfit to her pleasant smile, certainly looked the part of an evil Christmas witch. One who pretended to be eerily friendly, gaining everyone’s trust until it was too late. 

 

“Hello, dear! Welcome to Candy Cane Corner. I’m Mrs. Christenberry, how can I help you this evening?” 

 

“I need a place to stay for the night,” Carmilla stated sternly to the old lady. 

 

“Oh, yes, of course! As luck would have it, we have one vacancy,” the old lady said.

 

_ Thank fuck,  _ Carmilla thought. 

 

“But,” Mrs. Christenberry continued, “the previous guest has just checked out only a few moments ago, so the room will have to be cleaned first. That shouldn’t take long though, our cleaning elves are very efficient. Please, make yourself at home while you wait. We have seating over by the fireplace. Help yourself to some gingerbread,” she said.

 

Carmilla briefly considered taking a gingerbread person—as much as she hated gingerbread, they certainly looked tempting. But before she could approach the table, a blur of gold and green appeared in the corner of her eye. 

 

“Mrs. Christenberry!” The blur called out in a shrill voice as she bounded toward them at top speed.

 

Carmilla turned around to get a better look at the newcomer, a small young woman with honey-colored hair and a deep green winter jacket approached them. “I’ll be extending my stay here,” she announced.

 

❄❄❄

 

When Laura returned to the lobby, Mrs. Christenberry was settled exactly where she had been before—but this time, she was facing a short, slender, dark-haired woman. Mrs. Christenberry was engaged in conversation with the woman, but Laura was just out of earshot to hear what she was saying. As she got closer, though, she was able to pick up on the words “one vacancy,” “previous guest.” 

 

_ Oh. Oh no.  _

 

Laura rushed toward Mrs. Christenberry and the mystery guest, just as Mrs. Christenberry picked up her platter of gingerbread cookies to offer to the woman. 

 

“Mrs, Christenberry!” She said. “I’ll be extending my stay here.”  

 

Mrs. Christenberry stared at Laura, then back at the mysterious woman, then back at Laura. “Oh, goodness. It seems we’re in a bit of a sleigh jam, here. You see, I’ve just promised the room to this young lady right here.” 

 

“Okay, well, you can un-promise it, right?”

 

Before Mrs. Christenberry could answer, the young woman beside her chimed in. “Sorry, cutie, but I got here first.” 

 

Laura glared at her. “Um, no you didn't. I’ve been here for three days already.” 

 

“Well, you checked out. The room isn't yours anymore. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a room to finish booking,” the woman gloated, her dark eyes glimmering.

 

“But there's a blizzard out there! And my flight is cancelled, there's nowhere else for me to go.” 

 

“You think I don't know that? Oh, cupcake, I’ve been searching for somewhere to stay for the past two hours. Everywhere, and I really mean everywhere, is all booked up for the holidays. You really are out of luck,” she shrugged. “Have fun!”

 

Laura balled her hands into fists. She was  _ fuming.  _ If Santa was real, and if he could read minds, he’d surely move her to the number one spot on the naughty list right then and there for all the wicked words she was about to unleash on this wretched woman. 

 

But instead of unloading a string of curses at the woman smirking at her with her perfect angular face, Laura took a deep breath. It was probably best to stay on Santa’s good side, especially this close to Christmas. She glanced over at a very concerned Mrs. Christenberry, then back at the smug woman. “No,” she said, calmly but firmly. “I’m not leaving. This is my room, and I will be checking back into it.  _ But _ ,” she added, “In the spirit of the holidays and spreading acts of goodwill and all that, I’m going to let you stay with me.” 

 

The woman scoffed. “ _ Let? _ ” 

 

Before she could continue, Mrs. Christenberry clasped her hands together. “What a splendid idea! Laura can confirm that the Cupid Room is the perfect size for two guests to share. 

 

“But—” 

 

“Listen, do you want a place to stay, or was two hours of hotel searching not enough? This is the only way both of us can get what we need, but I can gladly rescind my kind offer if you'd prefer,” Laura threatened. “Besides, if I’m stuck here for Christmas I may as well have some company.”

 

The woman said nothing else but “Fine.” 

 

“So it's settled, then! Laura and, erm, what’s your name, ma’am?” Mrs. Christenberry asked, turning to the other woman. 

 

“Carmilla,” she answered. 

 

“Laura and Carmilla, you will both be staying in the Cupid room. Now, let's get you checked in.” 

 

Once they were all set, Mrs. Christenberry held out the key to the room, which Carmilla snatched before Laura had the chance to. “Welcome, Carmilla! Welcome back, Laura. I hope you have a holly jolly stay here at Candy Cane Corner. Carmilla, I’m sure Laura will be able to show you around the inn, she has been staying with us for the weekend and has been a wonderful guest,” she said. “In your room you’ll find a brochure of everything you’ll need to know for your stay here, including restaurant hours, special events for guests, and other Christmas festivities happening around Silas,” she informed them cheerfully. “Good night, you two!” 

 

Laura turned to look at her new roommate, whose glare never left Laura, with her dark, bold eyebrows furrowed and her lips downturned into the slightest pout. “Come on,” Laura said, “I’ll show you to the room.” 

 

She left the lobby, hoping (mostly) that Carmilla would follow. 

 

❄❄❄

 

Carmilla watched her new roommate turn left and head down the corridor. She gathered her belongings, reluctantly following the smaller girl. As they passed through the doorway into the corridor, Carmilla cringed at the horrendously festive wallpaper, a pattern of ribbons and bells and holly leaves. Paintings of Santa Claus between the bedroom doors, and each door was decorated with a wreath. 

 

Finally, Laura stopped at the door with the word “CUPID” inscribed on the plaque in the center of the wreath. 

 

“Well, here we are!” Laura said, gesturing to the door. 

 

“Cupid?” Carmilla scoffed. “Does this place double as a Valentine’s Day inn on the off season?” 

 

Laura stared at her, dumbfounded. “Don't you know the names of Santa’s reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen...?” 

 

“No,” Carmilla said. “Is this really common knowledge?” 

 

“Yes!” Laura practically shouted. “Whatever. You have the key, so open the door.”

 

Carmilla fished the key out of her pocket, and turned it into the door, dreading what would greet her on the other side.

 

Thankfully, the interior of the room was not quite as gaudy as Carmilla had been expecting—plain, cranberry-red walls instead of tacky wallpaper, mahogany furniture, elegant, white lace curtains. She was certainly thankful to not have to sleep in a room that looked like it was decorated with elf vomit. 

 

But there was still one big problem in the center of the room. A queen-sized problem, in fact.

 

“You didn't bother to mention that there's only  _ one bed?”  _ Carmilla asked. 

 

“Um, no? I don't know what you were expecting but I’ve been staying here alone for the past three days, and I wasn't exactly planning on having company. Why would I have checked into a double occupancy room?”

 

Well, this was just  _ fantastic.  _ Not only did Carmilla have to share the room with this annoyingly cheerful little woman, but they had to share a bed? 

 

“Anyway,” Laura said, setting her suitcase down and collapsing onto the side of the bed, “Since we’re going to be in each other’s company for the next few days, I was thinking we could get to know each other.” She held out her hand for Carmilla. “Hi, I’m Laura.” 

 

“Carmilla,” she answered, haphazardly taking Laura’s hand in her own, noting how warm and comforting the girl felt. Slowly, she let go of Laura’s hand and sat down on the bed beside her, making sure to maintain her distance.

 

“So, what are you doing in Indiana?” Laura asked. “Or, I guess I should ask what you were going to do in Indiana before you got stuck here in Silas?” 

 

“I don't  _ want _ to be Indiana. I’m supposed to be in California right now.” Carmilla snapped. “You?”

 

“I was here for work,” Laura said. “I’m supposed to be in the air right now, on the way home.” 

 

“Which is in...?” Carmilla raised an eyebrow.

 

“Toronto!” 

 

“So we have one thing in common, then,” Carmilla smirked. 

 

“No way!” Laura exclaimed. “So who were you going to visit in California?”

 

“My sister. And my brother, who flew down from Vancouver.”

 

Laura smiled. “That's cool! I’ve always wanted siblings, but it's just me and my dad. Do you have a big family then?” 

 

“No.” 

 

“Okay... Is it just the three of you, or do you have parents?” 

 

Carmilla’s stomach turned. “I’m getting tired,” she blurted out, getting up from the bed to dig her toothbrush out of her suitcase.

 

Laura tilted her head and narrowed her eyes as if she were about to ask another question. But she didn't. “Yeah, traveling is exhausting. It’s definitely getting late too! I’m just going to get ready for bed now,” she rambled, and without warning she sprung up from the bed and headed toward the ensuite bathroom. “By the way,” she said, pausing, “I’ve already claimed the left side of the bed. You can take the right.”

 

Once she vanished, Carmilla took out her phone and typed out a quick message to her siblings.

 

Carmilla: You would not believe the night I've had. 

 

Mattie: Please tell me you've found a place to stay.

 

Carmilla: Found a hotel. A Christmas themed one. I have to share a bed with a stranger. 

 

Will: RIP

 

Mattie: I don't know why you insist on refusing mother’s help.

 

Carmilla: I said no.

 

Will: This is how horror movies start. 

 

Carmilla: Maybe if my roommate’s an axe murderer she’ll put me out of my misery. 

 

Will: She? Is she cute?

 

Carmilla: Shut up. 

 

Will: So she IS cute...

 

Carmilla: WILLIAM 

 

Mattie: Looking forward to hearing all the juicy details when you get here.

 

Will: Don't get murdered.

 

Carmilla: No promises.

 

❄❄❄

 

Laura lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling, kept awake by her thoughts and the unfamiliar sensation of having another person in the bed with her. On the other end of the bed, Carmilla was curled up on her side, facing away from Laura, with as much space between them as possible. She couldn't tell if the woman was asleep or awake, and she was too afraid to find out. 

 

Carmilla truly was a mystery. One second Laura thought she had gotten her to open up, but then the warmth vanished so abruptly. Normally, Laura would be appalled by the woman’s rudeness, but was something about her that drew Laura in, enraptured her, irritated her but left her wanting more.

 

She tried not to let it get to her too much, but was finding it difficult to do so while they were same bed—such an intimate thing for two people barely better than strangers, even with the considerable distance between them.

 

Finally, she couldn't take it any longer. “Carmilla?” She whispered. 

 

No answer. She was either asleep, or perhaps ignoring her.

 

Laura sighed, then turned onto her side—the one facing away from Carmilla—and closed her eyes. Carmilla may be distant and cold now, but they were about to get snowed in together for several days, during one of the biggest holidays of the year. She would have plenty of time to figure her out, and she was ready for a challenge.

 

But for now, all she could do was sleep.

 

When she awoke only a few hours later, it was still dark, but the opposite side of the bed was now empty, leaving her alone under the covers. Groggily, Laura blinked herself awake. Once her eyes began to adjust, she glanced toward the window, where she was met with the silhouette of a woman encased in the dim glow of the night, where the snowflakes continued to float gently down to the ground. Carmilla was leaning against the windowsill, her head facing away from Laura as she watched the snow fall. She looked... peaceful, wondrous, a little sad. Suddenly, Laura felt a twinge of embarrassment pierce her as she stared at the woman captured in such a personal, silent moment. 

 

She shifted slightly, hoping not to disturb the woman at the window, but Carmilla’s head turned at the noise. 

 

Laura’s eyes snapped shut, and she tried her best to feign sleep as Carmilla padded toward her and returned to the bed. This time, when she pulled the covers over herself, the gap between her and Laura had shrunk significantly. 

 

❄❄❄

 

Carmilla wasn't an idiot. She knew Laura was only pretending to be asleep. 

 

Part of her wanted to say something, expose the girl for her snooping, but she was too damn tired to care. Instead, she peeled back the heavy duvet cover and slipped back into the bed. 

 

She wasn't sure what it was about Laura, but there was something about her that just got under her skin. She was annoying, she was abrasive, but she was also soft. And very warm. And slowly gravitating toward Carmilla as she settled back onto the mattress. 

 

Eyelids growing heavy, Carmilla rolled onto her side, now almost touching Laura.

 

Within minutes, both girls had drifted off to sleep.

 

❄ DECEMBER 22 ❄ 

 

White light streamed in through the window, falling directly on Laura’s face. She wrinkled her nose, trying to slither deeper under the covers and back into warm darkness for some more sleep. She buried her nose further into the soft pillow beside her, noting its pleasant scent as she wrapped her arms around it. Laura hadn’t remembered the linens smelling this way the previous nights. Perhaps housekeeping had replaced them during the time she had checked out. 

 

Suddenly, her pillow moved. It seemed to be hugging her back. 

 

Laura’s head perked up out of the covers instantly, and her eyes snapped open, revealing that her pillow was no pillow at all, but  _ Carmilla.  _

 

Thankfully, the other girl remained asleep as Laura quickly scooted as far away from her as possible, face flushing. She placed a stray pillow in between them, which Carmilla then curled around in the same way she had been holding Laura before.

 

Rubbing at her face, Laura rolled over onto her other side of the bed and reached for her phone that had been resting on the night table. According to her lock screen, it was 8:25 am. She had no new text messages, but one notification from the Corvae Airlines app stated that because of the continuing snow, all flights in her area had been cancelled. She was stuck in Silas for another day. 

 

She heard a yawn beside her as Carmilla awoke. 

 

“Dammit,” her roommate grumbled. “Guess it wasn’t a nightmare after all.” 

 

“Good morning to you too, Grinch” Laura deadpanned. 

 

“It’s still snowing?” Carmilla asked, combing her fingers through her wild mess of dark hair. 

 

“Yep. Supposed to snow all day.” 

 

“Terrific.” 

 

“Staying indoors won’t be a problem, though, there’s so much to do around here. I can show you around after breakfast,” Laura said chipperly, as she picked up the brochure of amenities that Mrs. Christenberry had given them the night before. “By the way, breakfast is served at nine, so if we want to get any food we have to be ready soon.”

 

“Whoa there, creampuff. Since when did we become vacation buddies? I’m sharing a room with you, nothing more,” Carmilla warned her. 

 

“Suit yourself. If you’re hungry later and have to venture out into the blizzard to forage for food because all the restaurants in the area are closed, that’s not my problem,” Laura retorted. “Plus, Mrs. Christenberry makes the best waffles. You’ll really be missing out.” 

 

Out of the corner of her eye, Laura could just barely make out Carmilla rolling her eyes. “Fine. But I’m not participating in whatever ridiculous bonding activities are happening today.” 

 

❄❄❄

 

Oh, how wrong she was. 

 

Because the ongoing blizzard made it practically impossible to leave the inn, Mrs. Christenberry invited all the guests into the parlor after breakfast for an event she called “Jingle and Mingle”—a chance for guests to get to know each other and create Christmas-themed crafts. Carmilla wasn’t quite sure how it happened, but soon enough she found herself surrounded by an array of glue and glitter and ribbon, and of course, her very own customizable Christmas ornament, a plain, silver sphere that reflected every angle of the room back at her from its shiny spherical surface. 

 

“ _ Pssst,”  _ Laura whispered beside her. “Can you pass me the green glitter?” she asked, too busy applying small dots of glue onto her ornament to look up. 

 

Carmilla sighed, passing the little vial of green glitter to the smaller girl. 

 

“Thanks,” she responded, unscrewing the lid and carefully shaking the contents of the vial onto the surface of the bulb. 

 

Carmilla noted how the tip of Laura’s tongue darted out just slightly past her lips as she focused on her task, and how her round eyes narrowed in concentration. What she tried not to notice was the strange feeling that seemed to be growing in her chest as she watched the smaller girl work. 

 

She shook her head, then picked up the red marker in front of her to distract her mind from wandering to places she was not ready to wander to. She thought for a minute, then crudely doodled a set of vampire fangs onto the ornament, complete with blood-red lips. 

 

At that moment, Mrs. Christenberry, who had been making the rounds and chatting with her guests, approached her. “Oh my, Carmilla! What a very interesting theme you have there. A fusion of Christmas and Halloween!” 

 

“Thanks,” Carmilla responded with disinterest as she continued coloring in her design. 

 

“And Laura, that’s a magnificent ornament!” Mrs. Christenberry added, leaning over to get a closer look at what the girl had done. 

 

Carmilla looked too. Mrs. Christenberry was right; Laura’s design was stunning. She had glued glitter onto the surface of the ornament in the perfect shape of a Christmas tree, which she was now decorating by gluing sequins and little plastic gems over the design. 

 

“Thanks, Mrs. Christenberry. This Christmas Crafts activity was such a good idea!” Laura said joyfully. “With the chances of getting back home in time for Christmas getting slimmer and slimmer, this is really helping to cheer me up.”

 

“I’m so glad!” Mrs. Christenberry said. “And don’t you worry, there will be plenty of ways to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year here at Candy Cane Corner and around Silas. Just wait until tonight’s Christmas movie marathon, and Silas’ annual Christmas Lights festival!”

 

Carmilla groaned.

 

❄❄❄

 

With the storm still falling strong outside and the night soon approaching, Carmilla returned to the room for some much-appreciated downtime. To her surprise, Laura had joined her, and they lay side by side on the bed, each with their computers resting on their laps. While Carmilla lazily scrolled through twitter, Laura was typing away furiously at her own laptop. 

 

“What are you writing?” Carmilla asked, leaning over just a bit to catch a glimpse at what her roommate was working on. 

 

“An article on Candy Cane Corner. It’s for my blog.” 

 

Carmilla snorted. “You run a blog?” She asked, one eyebrow lifted in curiosity.

 

Laura glared at her. “Yeah, it’s kind of my job. I’m a travel journalist, and I chose Candy Cane Corner for my December destination.”

 

Carmilla scoffed in response. “So you get paid to go on vacations and write about it.” 

 

“Well, kind of. I’m self-employed right now,” Laura admitted. “Most of my money comes from ad revenue and sponsorships. So it’s not the best paying job, but I’ve been at it for about a year and I’m finally starting to develop a platform. And it’s nice to be able to get to travel,” 

 

Her response may have been positive, but Carmilla could detect just a hint of sadness behind the girl’s voice. There was more to this story.

 

“What did you do before your blog?” Carmilla asked, trying not to pry too much. 

 

“I was a writer for a magazine. A pretty small one, but I absolutely loved the work environment there. The job itself was challenging, but it gave me a sense of purpose and accomplishment. It was something I woke up looking forward to every day.” Suddenly, Laura’s tone of voice shifted. “And then it was bought by some big-wig publishing company.” The glimmer in her eyes vanished.

 

Carmilla’s stomach dropped. 

 

“Everything changed after that. We were working longer hours with unreasonably fast deadlines, getting fewer benefits, and we stopped having as much freedom in what we wrote. The job that was once my passion became the one I dreaded. One day, I couldn’t take it anymore. I had found out that morning that we were expected to work on Christmas Day  _ and  _ that the office holiday party had been canceled, and that was the last straw for me. I marched right into the office of my new boss, and I quit on the spot. I... might have called her a grinch and used some choice words that in retrospect I probably shouldn’t have used, but I had had enough. She took one look at me, and laughed. She  _ laughed,  _ and said that if I couldn’t handle it here, there’s no way I would be able to handle working anywhere else in this industry. ‘You naive child,’” Laura mimicked, accompanied by an evil laugh, “‘You have no idea how the world works, do you?’ And that was the last thing I ever heard from Lilita Morgan-Karnstein and her wretched publishing company.”

 

Carmilla froze at the mention of that name—the name of the woman she had tried so hard to distance herself from, but who kept trying to weasel her way back into her life in one way or another. “So you switched to travel blogging?” She asked, attempting to take the focus off of Laura’s forer job for both of their sakes.

 

“Not right away. I was convinced that I could just find a new magazine to write for. But apparently, news travels fast, because I couldn’t get hired anywhere. Not a single magazine, paper, or journal in the Toronto area wanted me. I even branched out to other cities, and was unsuccessful.” 

 

“I’m sorry,” Carmilla said quietly. She hadn’t realized at first that she had placed her hand on Laura’s knee, but it felt right. 

 

“I tried waitressing for a while, but I was awful at it. I struggled financially and had to move back in with my dad. He was actually really great and supportive, and I’m so grateful for his help in trying to get me back on my feet, but I felt stuck and miserable. So I packed my bags, booked some flights, and the rest is history. Like I said, it’s a learning curve and I’m not exactly rolling in cash, but in a way I got exactly what I wanted. Freedom,” Laura said, shrugging. 

 

Before Carmilla could respond, Laura switched tabs on her computer and pulled up her website. She slid the laptop toward Carmilla.

 

“Here it is.” Laura pushed her laptop further toward Carmilla. “You can take a look if you want,” she offered. 

 

Carmilla set her own laptop aside and took Laura’s from her. It took her a moment to get used to the cursor speed, but she quickly got the hang of it. 

 

The top half of the page was filled with a photo, a panoramic view of a city Carmilla didn’t recognize. In the foreground, Laura stood on a balcony, her back leaning against the rails with a smile on her face and her hair blowing in the wind. She looked absolutely stunning. The text below read “ _ Hollis on Holiday”  _

 

Out of curiosity, Carmilla led the cursor over to the hanging menu and selected “Album.”  The page refreshed, revealing a mosaic of photos. Laura at Machu Picchu. Laura in Tokyo. Laura at Disney World. Laura at the Taj Mahal. Laura in Pisa, doing one of those silly trick shots where she appeared to be leaning against the tower. Laura standing in a lush green field, petting a fluffy highland cow.

 

“You’ve been to some pretty impressive places,” Carmilla said, the edges of her lips curling up slightly. 

 

“Yeah,” Laura said. Carmilla couldn’t help but notice the slight blush on her cheeks. 

 

“So why did you choose to come to Silas?” 

 

“Well, all the other places I’ve been to so far are huge tourism destinations, and that’s great and all, but everyone goes there. There are a gazillion blog posts about the Sydney Opera House and the Great Wall of China, but hardly anything on Silas and its magical Christmas festivities. So I decided that I want to start exploring more ‘hidden gems.’ As a small business myself, I find it important to support other small businesses, like Candy Cane Corner,” Laura explained. 

 

“How wholesome,” Carmilla replied.

 

“What do you do for a living?” Laura asked.

 

Carmilla gulped. “If I told you, then I’d have to kill you.” 

 

Laura laughed. “No, seriously.” 

 

“I have to keep some of my air of mystery, don’t I, cupcake?” Carmilla said, desperately hoping Laura would back off. 

 

“Whatever,” the girl beside her said, as she switched back to her word-processing app and continued typing with nimble fingers across her keyboard, the room becoming silent except for the steady clack of keys.  

 

❄❄❄

 

“I don’t get it. Why are there suddenly talking cartoon animals in this movie?” Carmilla whispered into Laura’s ear. “The whole premise of a human raised by elves was dumb enough.” 

 

“It’s a Christmas movie, it doesn’t have to make sense!” Laura hissed. “And it’s my favorite one, so  _ shhh! _ ” 

 

Laura, Carmilla, and the rest of the Candy Cane Corner guests had gathered in the parlor of the inn, where Mrs. Christenberry had set up an enormous projector screen, on which she was now airing a marathon of Christmas movies, complete with popcorn and hot cocoa. 

 

“I can’t believe you like this crap.” 

 

“Oh, come on, it’s funny!” 

 

“It’s ridiculous.”

 

“You’ve said that about every film so far,” Laura complained. “Do you like any Christmas movies at all?”

 

“ _ The Nightmare Before Christmas _ was alright,” Carmilla offered. 

 

“That doesn’t count! It’s a Halloween movie!” 

 

One of the other guests, an older bearded man who was sitting a few feet away from Laura and Carmilla, glared at them. Laura mouthed a “Sorry” back at him. 

 

“Santa Claus is in it, therefore it should count as a Christmas movie,” Carmilla protested. 

 

“Look, just watch the rest of  _ Elf.  _ It gets better, I promise.” 

 

“Fine.” Carmilla rolled her eyes, taking a handful of popcorn from the bowl on Laura’s lap and popping a few pieces into her mouth. 

 

Laura wasn’t sure how it had happened, but over the course of the movie, their bodies had inched closer and closer, to the point where their bodies were flush together from shoulder to thigh. Laura’s head was beginning to lean to the side just a bit, dangerously close to resting against Carmilla’s. 

 

Out of seemingly nowhere, Carmilla wrapped her arm around Laura’s shoulder, causing Laura to tense—not because she was uncomfortable with the gesture, but because she wasn’t expecting it at all. Just 24 hours ago and this prickly, standoffish woman wanted nothing to do with her, and now they were cuddling on a sofa? 

 

Laura breathed out, releasing all tension from her body and allowing herself to relax. Hesitantly, she closed the gap between her and Carmilla, gently resting her head against Carmilla’s shoulder. Carmilla leaned into the contact and reciprocated by resting her cheek against the top of Laura’s head. 

 

“Are you enjoying the movie yet?” Laura whispered. 

 

“It’s getting better,” Carmilla replied, smiling just the slightest. 

 

“Good.” 

 

❄❄❄

 

That night, when they arrived at the door to their room, Carmilla spotted a small sprig of green hanging from the doorframe. 

 

_ Oh no,  _ she thought. Hastily, she reached for the doorknob, attempting to ignore the bundle of leaves and pearl-like berries. 

 

“Wait a minute,” Laura said, stopping Carmilla from turning the key. 

 

Carmilla clenched her fist. 

 

“Is that...”

 

“Mistletoe,” Carmilla breathed.

 

“Mrs. Christenberry probably put them up on all the doors during the movie marathon,” Laura stated. “That cheeky woman.” 

 

Carmilla nodded, although she was certain she hadn’t seen mistletoe on any of the other bedroom doors. 

 

They both turned to stare at each other, unsure of what to do. 

 

Carmilla was the first to break the silence. “So, should we...” she attempted, but before she could finish, Laura leaned close to her, pressing her lips against Carmilla’s cheek. The kiss was short and chaste, but the sheer surprise of it all nearly knocked her off her feet. 

 

The kiss ended as quickly as it started, as Laura pulled away, but left little distance between them. Carmilla really hoped that the warmth she felt on the inside wasn’t showing on the outside. 

 

“Come on,” Laura said, smiling. “Let’s go inside.”

 

❄❄❄

 

“Can I ask you something?” Laura began hesitantly. 

 

Carmilla, who was laying beside her, looked up from her phone, on which she had been browsing flight information. The airport had reopened and flights out of Indiana were beginning to resume, though tickets were selling out fast and there were no available seats on any flight to LA for at least another three days. “Hmm?” 

 

“Why do you hate Christmas?” 

 

Carmilla sighed. “I don’t  _ hate  _ Christmas. I just don’t celebrate it.” 

 

“Oh. Do you celebrate anything else?” Laura asked. 

 

“No. My family just... doesn’t celebrate. We never decorated a tree with kitschy little homemade ornaments, or went caroling around the neighborhood, or decorated sugar cookies” Carmilla stated, point blank. “Mother thought it was pointless. Anything fun was a waste of time to her.” 

 

Laura’s eyes widened. “So you’ve never had Christmas?” 

 

“Not exactly. We still had a tree, and my siblings and I would get presents. I got everything I could have possibly wished for each year,” Carmilla continued, “Except my wish for Mother to join us. But she was always too busy working.” 

 

Her mind wandered to memories of Christmases past. Suddenly, she was small again, in her pajamas, creeping into her mother’s home office to tell her that Santa came that night, only to be shooed out the door, into the arms of her nanny, who carried her back down to the sitting room where Mattie and Will were waiting to open presents. 

 

“I would spend the day playing with all the brand new toys I had gotten, and then it would be like any other day. There was never any heart in it. Over the years I stopped caring. I became just like her.”

 

There was a beat of silence before Laura spoke up. “I think that’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard.” 

 

“It’s fine.” 

 

“No, it’s not,” Laura argued. “I’m sorry your mother was such a scrooge. You clearly  _ wanted  _ to celebrate Christmas, and you never got that, and that’s not fair.” Suddenly, her expression changed. The sparkle in her eye returned. “Luckily, we’re in the most Christmassy town in the states. Carmilla, I’m going to give you the Christmas you never had,” she promised. “The Best Christmas Ever.”

 

“Cupcake, are you serious? I just told you I don’t care about Christmas anymore,” Carmilla protested. 

 

“Sure, keep telling yourself that. But I bet after tomorrow, you’ll be singing a different tune,” Laura said, poking Carmilla in the shoulder. “The snow will finally stop tomorrow morning, which means we can go outside. I’ll show you around Silas, and then we can go to the tree lighting ceremony tomorrow. It’s going to be so much fun!”

 

“Sure,” Carmilla said. “Good night, Laura.” 

 

Laura laughed, turning out the light. “Good night, Krampus.” 

 

❄ DECEMBER 23 ❄

 

“Hurry Up! Part One of Carm’s Best Christmas Ever is about to begin!” Laura exclaimed, ushering Carmilla out of the inn. 

 

Carmilla had been woken up by Laura not too long ago, far too early for her tastes. But she was quickly learning that Laura was ruthless in getting what she wanted, so she complied with the girl’s attempts to get her out of bed. 

 

Her initial grumpiness faded ever so slightly once she stepped outside. After a full 24 hours, the snow had finally stopped, fully covering the town of Silas in a thick blanket of white. It glistened in the treetops and clung to the awnings of all the little storefronts like a picturesque scene out of a movie. Carmilla certainty wasn't a fan of winter, but she had to admit, it was a beautiful sight. 

 

She felt a tug at her scarf—Laura’s scarf, actually. The girl had offered to lend Carmilla some warmer accessories, since all her winter gear was sitting in her closet at home.

 

“Up first: window shopping,” Laura said, tugging at the scarf once more. “A true Christmastime Classic.” 

 

They strolled down the sidewalk side by side, shoulders bumping as they went. 

 

Their first stop was the antique bookstore a few doors down from Candy Cane Corner. The moment they entered through the jingling front door, the familiar, the comforting scent of old books surrounded Carmilla, making her feel at home. She browsed through the shelves, Laura trailing close behind, gently picking up a worn-out book here and there, and trailing gently over the tattered covers and yellowing pages. 

 

“Look!” Laura said, gesturing toward a copy of  _ A Christmas Carol.  _ “It's about you!” 

 

“Are you calling me Scrooge?” Carmilla asked, feigning shock. 

 

“Hey, you're the one who’s been all ‘bah humbug’ since the moment you got to this place,” Laura argued. “Which I guess makes me the ghost of Christmas past.”

 

“More like Christmas pest,” Carmilla mumbled.

 

They then stopped next door by a little gift shop, admiring the impressive display of scarves in the window. A trip inside revealed that the scarves were just as soft and warm as they appeared. 

 

“Ah, I feel like I’m wearing a cloud,” Laura said, burying her nose in a fluffy white scarf. “I should get you one of these as a gift, so you won’t have to borrow my ratty old scarf.” 

 

“You don't have to do that. It's expensive,” Carmilla said, not wanting to admit that she liked wearing Laura’s scarf. It smelled nice. 

 

Their next destination was the tiny bakery Carmilla had first spotted when she arrived in town sold the best chocolate croissants Carmilla had ever had—aside from the ones she had purchased in Paris, of course. 

 

“I’ve never been to France,” Laura revealed, earning a quizzical look from Carmilla, as they sat at a table for two, enjoying their pastries. 

 

“Really? But you've been all over the place.” 

 

“Yeah, but it seems like the kind of place that would be better to travel to with a partner. Maybe someday,” Laura said wistfully. 

 

“Well, it may be the city of love, but there's plenty to do there when you're single,” Carmilla offered, reminiscing on past trips. “ _ Especially  _ if you're single.”

 

❄❄❄

 

At the end of their window-shopping journey, they had reached the town center: an open park with footpaths and benches and a pond, and of course, the tall pine tree that would be lit up later that day. Unlike the previous day, the location was bustling with life—couples walked by, hand in hand, children built snow forts, and a few had donned ice skates and were whizzing across the frozen-over pond. 

 

“Isn't it magical?” Laura asked. 

 

“Sure,” Carmilla offered. But when Laura looked back at her, she was met with an unreadable expression on the woman’s face.

 

“Come on,” Laura said, and they started their stroll through the park. 

 

A little into their walk, Laura’s gloved hand found hers. Feeling brave, she wrapped their hands together, giving Carmilla’s a little squeeze as they made their way through the park. To her surprise, Carmilla didn't pull away. 

 

“My dad used to take me ice skating all the time as a child,” Laura said, attempting to break up the silence a little. “There was a little pond by my house, and every winter we would lace up our skates and go skating. He was always so nervous that I’d fall and get hurt, but I loved it. Sometimes we would bring our hockey sticks too.”

 

“That's nice,” Carmilla said. “I wish my mother did stuff with me when I was young. All she did was stick me in figure skating lessons. I hated them.” 

 

Laura laughed. “I was pretty lucky. He's a single dad, I don't know how he did it all, but he worked really hard to give me everything my mom couldn't.”

 

“What happened to her?” Carmilla asked cautiously.

 

“She left. I was really young when it happened, I don't have many memories of her.” 

 

“That's terrible,” Carmilla said. “I have no memories of my father. He died when I was a baby.” 

 

“I’m sorry,” Laura whispered, squeezing Carmilla’s hand once more. It was so strange to think that this woman was just a stranger a day ago, and now they were being vulnerable with each other, holding hands. As odd as it was, she certainly didn't dislike it.

 

❄❄❄

 

They walked for a little while longer, hands gripping tight to each other. Carmilla couldn't shake the thought of how nice the contact felt, even if it was through thick mittens. She hadn't been this close to anyone in a long time, and it surprised her how quickly and how easily Laura had been able to break down her walls. It was frightening and comforting all the same.

 

The other girl must have sensed her brooding, because the next thing she knew, they had stopped walking, and Carmilla was faced with a mischievous look. Laura removed her hand from Carmilla’s, and stepped a few paces away from her. Before Carmilla could register what was happening, Laura had bent over, grabbed a clump of snow, and hurled it at her with a laugh. 

 

The snowball landed on Carmilla’s shoulder with a soft  _ thump  _ as it disintegrated into a mess of individual flakes flying every which way. Laura giggled, no doubt at the way Carmilla’s jaw dropped and her eyebrows furrowed. Within seconds she was balling up her own fistful of snow and pelting it at Laura, hitting her square in the back, right between her shoulder blades. 

 

Laura retaliated by throwing another snowball at Carmilla—this time, she missed. Carmilla smirked, taunting Laura for her fumble, but an unexpected second snowball followed the first, this time getting her in the collarbone. 

 

“I’ll get you for that one, cupcake!” She shouted. With two more snowballs in her hands, she charged after Laura, who was busy forming yet another snowball of her own. She began running too, until they crashed into each other, sending snow flying. They stumbled from the impact, and the next thing Carmilla knew, she fell backwards and toppled over into the snow, taking Laura with her. 

 

She lay in the snow for a few seconds, unmoving, attempting to regain her bearings. When Carmilla opened her eyes, a pair of round, amber-colored ones stared back, Laura’s face mere inches from her own. 

 

They remained entangled on the ground for a few moments, the weight of Laura’s body warming Carmilla’s from the snow that cradled her and crept into the collar of her jacket. 

 

“Hey,” Laura said softly.

 

“Hey,” Carmilla replied, her face heating as she realized just how close they were. 

 

“Are you hurt? I’m so sorry if you’re hurt, I didn't mean to knock you over, I’m just—” 

 

And for the first time since she arrived in Silas (and possibly longer than that), Carmilla laughed. She laughed a real, genuine, hearty laugh. “I’m fine, cutie. Good thing there was all this snow to cushion my fall.” 

 

Laura’s embarrassed expression quickly melted away into a smile. “I can't exactly say the same for myself.”

 

“Yeah? And whose fault is that?” Carmilla teased.

 

“Okay, fine, I brought this upon myself. Now get up, we have a lot to do,” she said. 

 

“Cupcake?” 

 

“Yeah?” 

 

“You're going to have to get off of me first.”

 

Laura’s cheeks turned bright pink. “Oh. Right.”

  
  


❄❄❄

 

After their stroll in the park, they continued exploring the town, stopping by the Silas General Store for a few of their famous candy canes and taking a detour through the candle shop, where Laura spent far too much time searching for a gift for her friend Perry, much to Carmilla’s chagrin. Finally, they had settled at a little café for some hot cocoa and a quick bite to eat.

 

They still had some time to kill before the Christmas Lights Festival, so they continued to wander throughout the town until they passed a large building, from which they could hear Christmas music. Laura explained that it was the Silas Community Center, and further investigation revealed a sign at the front saying “HOLIDAY DINNER AND TOY DRIVE: ALL ARE WELCOME. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED.”

 

“Another Christmas essential: giving back to the community,” Laura announced. “Let's go inside!” 

 

Carmilla shrugged, and followed Laura into the building. Rows of tables filled the wide open room, where townsfolk sat, enjoying each other’s company. Some children ran up and down the aisles between the tables while others sat at the tables, scribbling crayons on Christmas-themed coloring pages. At the far end of the room, volunteers were busy setting up pans and platters of food, which they seemed to be bringing out from a kitchen adjoined to the main room. 

 

Laura gripped Carmilla’s fingers and brought her to the opposite end of the room. “Hi,” she said to a volunteer, a middle-aged woman wearing a red and green apron. “We’re here to help out!”

 

“Wonderful! Right now we need volunteers to help serve the food, which is almost ready,” she said. “Grab a pair of gloves and an apron from the kitchen, and get serving!”

 

_ Terrific,  _ Carmilla thought, as she followed Laura into the kitchen. 

 

The guests soon began filing into a line at the food table. Carmilla was stationed behind a large pan of mashed potatoes, and Laura was right beside her, scooping green beans onto their plates. 

 

“Hi! Merry Christmas!” Laura said cheerfully, serving a heaping pile of green beans to the first guest. 

 

“Merry Christmas,” Carmilla repeated, plopping some mashed potatoes down next to them. 

 

“You gotta be more enthusiastic. Give ‘em some Christmas cheer,” Laura muttered at her, then immediately turned back to the people in line, her smile as bright and friendly as ever. 

 

Carmilla faked a smile for the next guest. “Merry Christmas!” she said, although her inflection was far too forced for it to be believable. 

 

“You're getting better!” Laura whispered, giving her a thumbs up with her free hand. 

 

The line finally began to dwindle after a while. Once everyone received their food and were happily enjoying their dinners, Laura and Carmilla returned to the kitchen to help clean up, but were turned down. 

 

“We’re all set in here,” one of the volunteers said. “But we really need people to help supervise the children’s activities!”

 

“Okay, we can do that. Right Carm?” Laura asked. 

 

“Sure,” Carmilla added, even though she was beginning to panic. Children really weren't her thing. 

 

“Come on!” And once again, they exited the kitchen. The children, who were beginning to finish their dinners, we're all leaving the tables one by one to play. The majority of the children sat on the floor in a circle, seemingly in the middle of a game of Duck Duck Goose. However, one child deviated from the group, returning to the coloring table.

 

Laura approached the former group, but Carmilla, preferring the much quieter activity, sat down at the table beside the young child who was busy coloring a picture of Santa Claus. He looked up from his drawing to stare at her with big, round, blue eyes. 

 

Hi,” Carmilla said, trying to hide her nerves. 

 

“Hi! I’m Tommy and I’m 4!” He said, holding out four fingers to show his age. “What’s your name?”

 

“I’m Carmilla,” she said. 

 

“Wanna color with me, Carmilla?” He asked her, stumbling a bit on her name. 

 

Carmilla nodded, and gingerly took a piece of paper from the stack and began coloring Santa’s hat. 

 

“No!” Tommy shrieked. “Santa’s hat is  _ red _ , not blue! You gotta color it red!”

 

“What if I want to color it blue?” Carmilla protested. 

 

“You're silly,” the boy said, returning to his own drawing. 

 

Quickly growing bored of the coloring page, Carmilla flipped the sheet over and began doodling freehand. The crayons were a bit difficult to work with, but in no time she had completed a drawing of a black cat. 

 

“Wow, that's really good!” Tommy said, leaning over to look at Carmilla’s drawing. “Draw me an elephant next! With a Santa hat, because it's Christmas!” 

 

“Okay,” Carmilla said, grabbing a grey crayon. 

 

Over time, a few more children approached the coloring table, each one enthralled by Carmilla’s work. Each time she finished a drawing, a child would shout out another request. “A mermaid!” “A monster truck!” “Santa!”

 

Finally, a young girl who had just joined them said “Draw Laura!” 

 

Carmilla let out a laugh, then glanced over at the other end of the room, where Laura was now leading the children in a singalong of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” complete with dancing. She caught Carmilla staring at her and waved, flashing her the happiest of grins. 

 

Carmilla leaned down over her paper, trying to hide her reddening cheeks. 

 

❄❄❄

 

“Good job everyone!” Laura cheered as they finished another song—this time, “Up on the Housetop.” 

 

“Let's sing another!” One kid demanded, followed by a chorus of “Yeah!” from the others. 

 

“I’m going to take a break. I’ll be right back later though, okay?” She said, getting up from the group and approaching the drawing table, still in awe at how many children had flocked around Carmilla, and even more surprised at how at ease she appeared. 

 

When she reached the table, she immediately saw why—Carmilla was an  _ incredible  _ artist. Even with the broken crayons she was using, her sketches came out gorgeous. At the moment, she was concentrated on drawing a person—a woman, with brown eyes and golden hair. 

 

“Hey, Carm!” She said. A few of the kids mimicked her, causing Laura to burst out laughing.

 

“Hey,” Carmilla said back.

 

“What are you drawing?” She asked, leaning over the heads of the children to see.

 

“It’s you!” one girl shouted out. 

 

“Yeah!” said another. “Carmilla is a really good draw-er.”

 

Laura flushed. Now that she got a closer view, she could definitely see the resemblance. “I didn't know you could draw,” she stammered, trying to shift the attention away from her. 

 

“Well, now you do, cutie,” Carmilla said, smoothly. 

 

“It’s a beautiful drawing,” She said.

 

“Hey, I’m only drawing what I see.”

 

In that moment, Laura was sure she was going to explode. Was Carmilla flirting with her? She was totally flirting, wasn't she?

  
  


❄❄❄

 

By the time they left the community center, the sun had already set, and the tinsel-wrapped lampposts illuminated the streets, indicating that it was almost time for Silas’s famous Christmas Lights Festival. 

 

Laura was practically buzzing with excitement as they walked through the cold. “I know I was upset about not being able to book a flight home earlier, but wow, I am  _ so  _ excited for this! If there's anything I love most about Christmas, it's the lights. They're so magical,” she rambled, as she and Carmilla strolled back to the town center. 

 

By the time they reached the park, a crowd had already begun forming by the pine tree. Throughout the rest of the park, vendors had set up stands, where they were selling all sorts of goods, from homemade Christmas ornaments to hot beverages. In a gazebo by the tree, a jazz band had gathered to play instrumental Christmas tunes. 

 

“So, how do you rate the a Best Christmas Ever so far?” Laura asked. 

 

“I’ve had fun, I’ll give you that,” Carmilla admitted. “But keep in mind that every Christmas I've had before this one have been sub-par, so my standards are pretty low.”

 

“I’ll take that. And the night is still young, there's still so much more to do to get your grinchy heart to grow three sizes,” Laura teased. 

 

“Whatever.”

 

“Come on, let's grab a spot by the tree. I want a front row view,” Laura said, pulling on Carmilla’s hand and leading her toward the center of the park. 

 

The mayor of Silas, a plump man with a bulbous nose and a white beard, appeared in front of the tree. “Good evening, beloved residents and distinguished guests of Silas,” he announced. “It is with great pleasure that I invite you to the Silas Christmas Lights Festival, one of the oldest-running and most popular tree-lighting ceremonies in the state of Indiana.” 

 

He then went on to give a not-so-brief brief history of the town and its devotion to Christmas, including the story of the tree, which stood tall in the town center for as long as anyone could remember. 

 

Laura had to admit that as excited as she was, she zoned out during the mayor’s speech. What brought her back to reality was the sensation of Carmilla’s arm reaching around the small of her back, pulling them closer for warmth. 

 

“And now, it’s time to officially ring in the Christmas season once more! Let’s begin the countdown! Five...”

 

The crowd joined in. “Four... Three... Two... One...” 

 

And just then, the tree lit up in a fantastical display of glowing color, illuminating the entire town center in blues and reds and golds and greens. The smaller trees throughout the park lit up too, encased in their own strings of white lights, as did the gazebo, where the band had just begun a performance of ‘O Christmas Tree.’ It was even more magical than Laura could have even imagined. 

 

As beautiful as the view in front of her was, nothing prepared her for the sight that was next to her. As she turned to look at Carmilla surrounded in the light, her breath hitched. A myriad of hues reflected off of the woman’s dark silken hair. They twinkled in her deep brown irises, staring with wonder at the tree. The serene look on her beautifully angular face twisted Laura’s insides in knots. 

 

Slowly, Carmilla tilted her head to face Laura. “Beautiful,” she whispered. 

 

“Yeah,” Laura whispered back, her eyes darting down to Carmilla’s lips. 

 

Before she could stop herself, she was leaning forward, gravitating toward the other girl. She didn't have to lean far, though, as Carmilla met her halfway. And suddenly, they were kissing, lips pressed tightly against each other, fingers grasping for something to hold onto. Laura’s hand settled on Carmilla’s neck, the other reaching upwards to tangle in her hair. Carmilla’s left arm remained wrapped around Laura’s back, and her right hand soon joined it, pulling Laura closer and intensifying the kiss. 

 

They pulled away for just the smallest moment to catch their breath, then reunited just as quickly for a second kiss. Carmilla’s mouth parted ever so slightly, grasping Laura’s lower lip between her own and gently tugging, causing a tiny noise to escape Laura’s mouth. 

 

Kissing Carmilla made her melt. It didn't matter that she was standing in a freezing cold, snowy park in the middle of December. She could have been in Antarctica without a coat for all she cared. As long as she had Carmilla’s arms around her, she would be forever warm. 

 

Slowly, their mouths parted, but they remained close, foreheads pressed together, arms still gripping each other’s bodies. 

 

“Wow,” Laura whispered, shakily. 

 

Carmilla leaned in for one more kiss, then pulled away to look Laura in the eyes. She was glowing—and not just from the Christmas lights. 

 

“Okay,  _ now  _ I’m starting to see the appeal of Christmas,” Carmilla admitted, kissing Laura again, this time a little less chastely.  

 

“Good,” Laura replied, kissing her back. She wasn't entirely sure where this all came from, and there would certainly be a lot to talk about in the coming days, but for now all she cared about was kissing the girl again. “Because there’s a lot more where that came from.” Another kiss. “Come on, let's go get warmed up.” 

 

❄ DECEMBER 24 ❄ 

 

Laura was woken up by the feeling of soft lips against her forehead. Slowly, she shifted, her eyes fluttering open to meet the gorgeous dark brown ones staring back at her. 

 

“Morning, cutie,” Carmilla greeted her, her voice still slightly raspy from sleep. 

 

Laura, not quite awake enough to respond with words, tightened her hold on Carmilla’s body and burrowed deeper into the space under her chin. Carmilla responded by placing another kiss to the top of Laura’s head. 

 

Their night certainly did not end after the tree lighting. The walk back to Candy Cane Corner took extra long, as they kept pausing to kiss, too impatient to keep their hands and mouths off of each other, but they eventually reached the inn. When they pushed open the door to the inn, Mrs. Christenberry was there behind the front desk to greet them. “Laura, Carmilla! Welcome back,” she had said. “My, my, it is so lovely to see how close you two have gotten.” She looked down at their joined hands, then back up at Laura’s face, giving her a knowing look. 

 

“Yep! What are the chances?” Laura said, her voice rising at least two octaves. “Have a nice night, Mrs. Christenberry!” She said, as she and Carmilla rounded the corner to the hallway. 

 

The mistletoe that had once been hanging above the door to their room was now gone, but that didn't stop them from sharing a kiss anyway. As soon as they had entered the room and shut the door behind them, Carmilla had pressed Laura against it, then pressed her lips against Laura’s mouth, trailing down her jaw until Laura tilted her head to give Carmilla access to her neck. It wasn't until they moved toward the bed that they noticed a new sprig of mistletoe—this time, hanging from the headboard. That earned a laugh from Laura.

 

“The elves who work here aren't being subtle anymore,” Carmilla had said, falling onto the mattress with Laura following close behind. 

 

They spent the rest of the evening entangled in each other’s arms, until they had finally fallen asleep in the early morning hours. 

 

Now, with the sunlight shining in through the lace curtains and casting patterns onto the pure white sheets, Laura felt more content than she had in months.

 

“What time is it?” She asked, gently pulling away from Carmilla’s collarbone. 

 

“Just after ten-thirty,” Carmilla answered, as she ran a hand through her tousled hair. 

 

Laura pouted. “We missed breakfast.”

 

“Totally worth it,” Carmilla said, rolling so that she was now on top of Laura. 

 

“Agreed,” Laura giggled, leaning up to kiss Carmilla on the nose. “But now I’m hungry.” 

 

“Well, that can be taken care of. I bet the bakery is open by now,” Carmilla suggested. “Chocolate croissants?” 

 

“You really know how to please a woman,” Laura moaned.

 

“I’ll be back soon.” With a kiss to the forehead, Carmilla peeled back the covers and left the bed. Laura watched as the other girl picked her jeans and sweater off the floor, where they had been discarded last night, pulling them back on and covering them with her leather jacket and Laura’s scarf.

 

“Thanks, Carm,” she called out as Carmilla turned the doorknob. 

 

“You're welcome, sweetheart.” And with that, she was gone. 

 

Laura flopped back against the pillows, reflecting on the past twenty-four hours, wondering just how she had become so lucky. Just three days ago she was dreading having to spend even a few minutes with Carmilla, and now she was falling for her, her gorgeous face, her tempting body, and her broody yet secretly soft personality. She hadn't known her for long, but she had no plans of letting her go, as long as Carmilla wanted.

 

That last thought caused her stomach to turn, and all the questions that she had chose to ignore the previous night came flooding back.  _ Did  _ Carmilla want that? Did she feel the same way as Laura, or was she just going along with it for the hell of it? Was this just a tryst, or was there something more? This was something they'd have to talk about, and the sooner, the better.

 

Laura was so busy rehearsing what she’d say to the girl that she almost didn't hear the knock at the door. 

 

❄❄❄

 

With a paper bag full of warm pastries, Carmilla set out on her journey back to the inn—but not before making a quick detour to the little stationery shop she and Laura had perused the day before. You see, her offer to pick up breakfast was mostly a cover-up for her true mission, which was to get Laura a Christmas present. She had seen Laura fawn over a gorgeous leather-bound journal in the window display the day before, and a trip to the bakery served as the perfect way to buy it without the other girl knowing. 

 

The cashier seemed to recognize her from the day before. “This wouldn't happen to be a gift for the young lady you came in with yesterday, would it?” He asked her. 

 

Carmilla smiled. “It might be,” she said. 

 

“I’m sure your girlfriend will love it,” he said, handing her her change. “Happy holidays!”

 

_ Girlfriend.  _ Carmilla wasn't sure if he meant it in the friend way or in the romantic way, but she liked the sound of it. Ugh, she was getting soft. 

 

❄❄❄

 

“Carm?” Laura called out toward the door. “Did you forget the room key?” 

 

But the voice who answered was not Carmilla’s. “No, dear, I’m afraid it's just me,” Mrs. Christenberry answered.

 

Laura sprung out of bed, pulling on a t-shirt and pajama bottoms before answering the door. “Hi Mrs. Christenberry! I’m so sorry to have missed breakfast today, Carmilla and I slept late.”

 

“Ah, yes, I figured,” the old woman said with a wink. “I just came by to deliver this to Carmilla. Someone came by the reception desk earlier this morning to drop it off.” She handed Laura a pristine white envelope. “Take care, and have a wonderful Christmas Eve. I hope you'll be joining us for the Christmas singalong and gingerbread house contest tonight!”

 

“Thanks! Carm and I will certainly be there,” Laura said as the older woman exited the room and slowly paced back down the hall toward the lobby.

 

Laura turned the envelope over in her hands. Her smile faded as she saw the name  _ Carmilla Karnstein  _ crawling across the paper in immaculate script, and her stomach dropped as her eyes traveled to the very familiar logo printed at the top left corner.

 

❄❄❄

 

Carmilla reached the inn in no time, carrying both paper bags back to the room. “Hey, cupcake,” she said as she entered through the doorway. “Sorry for taking so long.” 

 

She set the bags down on the bed, then turned to face the other girl. But those warm, honey-colored eyes she was hoping to see were cold and distant. Worried, even. 

 

“Mrs. Christenberry stopped by to drop this off for you,” Laura said, gesturing to the white rectangular object on the nightstand. She sounded upset, nervous even, which caused Carmilla’s heart to pound as she picked up the envelope. 

 

Her stomach lurched as she examined the curly script on the outside. “Mother,” she breathed, the word barely coming out of her mouth. 

 

When she saw the look on Laura’s face, she wished the word hadn't come out at all. The coldness in Laura’s eyes had intensified.

 

With shaky fingers, Carmilla opened the envelope. The first slip of paper, a piece of Karnstein Publishing stationery with a handwritten note, read “ _ Merry Christmas, my glittering girl. Don't say I never get you anything nice. — Mother _ .” 

 

The second item was a boarding pass. A flight to Los Angeles departing that night. 

 

“When were you going to tell me?” Laura demanded, her voice cracking as if she were fighting back tears. “When were you going to tell me that you’re a Karnstein? That Lilita Morgan-Karnstein, the woman who ruined my career, is your  _ mother _ ?”

 

“Laura, it's not what you think. I can explain everything, please...”

 

Tears were beginning to spill from Laura’s eyes. “I trusted you,” she choked out. “I should have known this was too good to be true. You were trouble from the moment you entered this place. You're just like her, aren't you?” 

 

In that moment, Carmilla’s heart shattered. “No.  _ No _ , Laura—” 

 

“ _ Leave.”  _

 

Carmilla’s jaw dropped as she stared at Laura, dumbfounded. “What?” 

 

“Go away, Carmilla. You’re not welcome here anymore. You have a flight to catch, anyway.”  Laura glared at her through red-rimmed eyes, then disappeared into the bathroom. 

 

Carmilla’s vision went red as she gathered her belongings and stuffed them in her suitcase, utterly dumbfounded that her mother was able to sabotage yet another good thing in her life. 

 

❄❄❄

 

Laura leaned over the sink, inhaling deeply, letting the last of the cold water she had splashed onto her face in an attempt to cool her anger drip down. 

 

She should have known from the beginning that Carmilla was part of  _ that  _ family. The second she marched into the inn with her combat boots and unpleasant attitude, she radiated trouble. Her unwillingness to disclose any information about her family was just the nail in the coffin. She was bad news, and Laura was too lovestruck to see it. 

 

As upset as she was, deep down, a part of her wished for Carmilla to stay. She hoped that Carmilla would knock on the door and beg for Laura to come back out and talk. Maybe she would laugh and say it was all a misunderstanding, or maybe a prank in poor taste.

 

But outside, the door to the room creaked open, and then slammed shut. Carmilla was gone, and she had taken a piece of Laura’s shattered heart with her.  

 

❄❄❄

 

“ _ What the hell, Mattie? _ ” Carmilla hissed into her phone as she waited for her Uber to to pick her up. “I told you not to say anything to Mother.” 

 

“Sorry, darling. She called yesterday and asked if you were coming to visit for Christmas, and I might have let it slip that you got held up. Anyway, I thought you wanted to leave.” 

 

Carmilla ran a hand through her hair, her frustration beginning to bubble over. “I  _ did.  _ But things are a little more complicated now.” They certainly felt more complicated, after she had checked out of the inn and received all sorts of pitiful looks from Mrs. Christenberry when she realized Carmilla was leaving alone.

 

“Oh.” Mattie’s tone changed. “Is this about the girl? What was her name again? Lenore?” 

 

“It’s Laura,” Carmilla huffed. “And yes, it's about her.” 

 

She could hear Mattie guffaw on the other end of the line. “Well, isn't this just fascinating. Carmilla, the hopeless romantic, heartbroken on Christmas Eve over some girl she just met.” 

 

“Shut up,” Carmilla snapped. “You don't understand. This girl is amazing, and I really felt a connection with her.”

 

“Clearly she's not that amazing if she's not willing to listen to your side of the story and jumps to conclusions that easily. Honestly, you're much better off leaving both the foolish girl and the horribly tacky town behind and coming here like you planned.”

 

Carmilla sighed. “I guess.” 

 

“You better be using the ticket Mother got you. I know you make a point of refusing anything that woman has even breathed on, but William is driving me crazy and I don't think I can handle spending any more time alone with the little monster.”

 

“Hey! I heard that!” Will’s said, his voice muffled by distance. 

 

“Fine. Listen, I’ve got to go, my ride's here. I’ll see you tonight, Mattie.”

 

❄❄❄

 

God, she was so  _ stupid.  _

 

Laura lay on her side, curled up into a ball. The last of her tears had dried long ago, but the heavy feeling in her chest remained. She knew she looked like an absolute mess, still in her pajamas, laying pitifully in this bed that felt uncomfortably huge with only her in it, but she couldn't bring herself to do anything else but wallow in her feelings of heartbreak and betrayal. 

 

Earlier, she had contemplated getting on the next flight back to Toronto, but that idea was soon squashed as she learned that the huge winter storm that had ravaged Indiana was now traveling east and and headed straight for her home city, keeping her stuck in Silas, because that was just her luck. 

 

She was tired of feeling pathetic. She had to do  _ something.  _ Reluctantly, she sat up and pulled her laptop out of her bag. Maybe working on her article would help take her mind off of how miserable she felt. She hoped that focusing on the good part of her stay in Candy Cane Corner would raise her spirits and out her in the mood for celebrating Christmas. 

 

But after staring at her empty word processor for over twenty minutes, she was beginning to feel hopeless again. Any time she willed her fingers to crawl across the keyboard, her hands longed to write about Carmilla. Every other word that traveled through her mind was Carmilla. 

 

Carmilla Karnstein. 

 

Daughter of Lilita Morgan-Karnstein, head of Karnstein Publishing, Laura’s former employer, a business notorious for nepotism. 

 

Rumors ran wild during her time working there that Ms. Morgan-Karnstein’s daughter would one day take over the company, and that she would be just as ruthless as her mother. Laura never met this woman, but she sure had been glad to get out of that heartless company before it happened.

 

No wonder Carmilla had been so hesitant to share any details about herself, or her job, or her family. 

 

Unless... 

 

Before Laura even registered what she was doing, she had switched to her internet browser and was typing “Karnstein Publishing” into the search bar. 

 

Nothing too surprising or inflammatory came up from her initial search—although she did shiver at the sight of a photo of the Lilita and her ingenuine smile. But a few pages deeper into the search, she stumbled upon an article title: “Karnstein Publishing Hires New Vice President: Candidate Choice Surprises Public.”

 

Intrigued, Laura clicked on the link, which led to an article from a small business publication. The opening paragraph read:

 

Karnstein Publishing, a Toronto-based company that distributes many publications in the greater Toronto area, recently announced the hiring of Theodore Straka as Vice President. The hire occurred after it was revealed that Carmilla Karnstein, daughter of company President Lilita Morgan-Karnstein, declined the initial job offer. News of Straka’s hire came as a shock to many in the publishing world, as it was rumored that Morgan-Karnstein’s step-daughter, Matska Belmonde, was in line to accept the position after Carmilla. Both Belmonde and Karnstein have declined to comment. 

 

Laura rubbed at her temples, the horrible feeling churning inside her growing even worse. 

 

She had made a terrible mistake. 

 

Quickly, she opened a new tab on her browser and opened her email. It was time to stop moping. She was going to get down to the bottom of this once and for all. 

 

❄❄❄

 

Carmilla tapped her foot I patiently against the tile floor of the airport. It had been only an hour since she had arrived, and she was already growing restless. It was bad enough that she was here at all, but she had arrived so early that she wasn't even able to check in yet. But where else could she have gone? She couldn't have stayed at Candy Cane Corner any longer, and everywhere else was beginning to close for Christmas Eve. 

 

So here she was, sitting on a bench in an airport in the middle of nowhere, picking away at the chipped black nail polish on her fingers and wondering what the hell she was supposed to do in this place for six more hours. It certainly wasn’t helpful that all this waiting around caused her mind to wander—and of course, it kept wandering back to Laura. Laura and her radiant smile, the way her honey-colored hair shined in the light, the feeling of her hand in Carmilla’s as they strolled through town, those soft lips that Carmilla so desperately wanted to kiss again.

 

She was hit with another pang of sadness. Laura didn't want her. Laura thought she was a soulless workaholic boss just like her mother. Laura didn't even bother to listen to what Carmilla had to say.

 

And Carmilla had run away. She ran away like she always did.

 

She closed her eyes tight, fighting back angry, burning, bitter tears. This whole mess was so unfair. She had tried so hard to separate herself from her mother and her corrupt ways, but no matter what she did, she couldn't free herself from the life she never wanted for herself.

 

Laura’s words echoed back at her again and again, louder than the voices that filled the airport, the screaming toddler several feet away, the announcements over the PA system.  _ You’re just like her, aren't you?  _

 

No. She wasn't. And she was going to prove it to laura. She didn't know how, but she was tired of running away. It was time for her to stand her ground, clear her name, and prove to herself that she wasn't a cog in her mother’s machine. 

 

Standing abruptly from the bench, Carmilla grasped the handle of her suitcase and marched out of the airport, carrying her luggage and a new sense of determination with her.

 

❄❄❄

 

It didn't take long for Matska to reply to Laura’s email. And to her surprise, she had agreed to discuss the situation with Laura over video chat. 

 

So here she was, anxiously waiting for her Skype to connect to the Candy Cane Corner wi-fi, which was understandably slow for being in the middle of nowhere. But thankfully, the call successfully went through, and soon a gorgeous yet extremely intimidating woman was staring back at her through the screen. 

 

“Hi, Ms. Belmonde?” Laura asked.

 

“Please, call me Mattie,” she responded, her voice a bit choppy from the poor connection. “It's a pleasure to be talking to none other than the girl who broke my sister’s heart.”

 

Laura gulped. “Yep, that's me. And I’m really trying to fix that, so can we maybe get down to business?”

 

Mattie huffed. “Certainly.”

 

“Okay,” Laura began. “ I should start at the beginning. My name is Laura Hollis, and I’m a former employee of Karnstein Publishing. I left my job a little more than a year ago due to, erm,  _ incompatibility _ with the workplace environment, and your mother pretty much blacklisted me from the journalism industry and I’ve been stuck doing travel blogging ever since, which is kind of how I met Carmilla. 

 

“Anyway, when I found out that Carm is a Karnstein, I kinda freaked out because I had heard all sorts of rumors about Karnstein Publishing being a family business, but now I know that Carm has nothing to do with it, and I’m such an idiot for reacting the way I did, I feel awful and I just want to make things right again, because I really like her and I can't stand the thought of losing her,” she rambled. 

 

Mattie didn't answer right away, although she did chuckle, revealing her brilliant grin. “Now this is shaping up to be one of the more interesting Christmases I’ve had in my lifetime... Gidget, you may have met Carmilla, but you barely know her at all. I bet you’ll be surprised to know that not only has Carmilla cut herself off from Mother’s business years ago, she practically cut herself off from Mother’s whole life.” 

 

Laura’s eyes widened. “I don't understand.” 

 

“It has been an expectation for my siblings and I to take over the business for as long as we can remember. I did exactly so and have been working as an attorney for the company. Our brother Will is still an undergraduate, though he will be employed as soon as he finishes schools. But Carmilla? Carmilla was our mother’s glittering girl, she had been groomed to follow in Mother’s footsteps and take over as president. But you see, Carmilla wanted nothing to do with this business, specifically due to the  _ incompatibility  _ you named earlier, and so she has done everything she possibly can to dissociate herself from it. That includes refusing to accept any help from Mother, especially financial support.”

 

“Wow, I didn't know,” Laura said guiltily. 

 

“Yes, well... You would have known if you had just asked.”

 

“Yeah, you don't need to remind me,” Laura chided. “So then, if Carmilla refuses to let Lilita to help her, why did Lilita send her the plane ticket in the first place?”

 

“I suppose it's Mother’s way of making herself feel needed,” Mattie explained. “She’s always going on about how Carmilla won't last without her help, and that she'll come crawling back when life gets too difficult. But I know my sister, and she's incredibly resilient and stubborn.” 

 

Mattie took a deep breath. “Something you need to understand about my sister is that behind her tough, stubborn exterior, her heart is unparalleled to anyone I’ve ever known. Although I’m sure you were beginning to see that side of her before jumped all the way to the moon with conclusions.” 

 

Laura clenched her jaw. 

 

“It’s clear that she has become quite attached to you. You’ll need to make this right, because I’m not about to spend what little time I have off from work consoling my heartbroken sister.”

 

“And how am I supposed to do that? She’s definitely not coming back here.” Laura argued. 

 

Mattie’s face twisted into a smirk. “You mentioned traveling for a living, yes? It's time to use those frequent flyer miles.” 

 

❄❄❄

 

Carmilla never would have thought she’d be happy to see Silas again, but the second her Uber pulled up in front of the familiar brick walkway that led to the inn, her heart fluttered. And then it began to pound with anxiety. She only had one shot to make this right with Laura, and there was a chance the girl wouldn't even be willing to listen. 

 

When she pulled the door open and stepped into the lobby, Mrs. Christenberry practically jumped. “Carmilla!” She exclaimed. “What are you doing back here?”

 

Carmilla took a deep breath.“I need to speak to Laura. Can you please tell her I’m here? It’s urgent.” 

 

Mrs. Christenberry’s eyebrows furrowed. “Oh dear, I’m afraid I won't be able to do that. Laura’s checked out already. You just missed her.”

 

“Oh,” Carmilla said, her voice small. 

 

Laura really was a lost cause. She was probably boarding the next flight to Toronto by now. There was nothing more for Carmilla to do, no romantic gesture or heartfelt speech could get her back. She was gone, and it was time for Carmilla to give up.

 

The old woman came out from behind her desk and approached Carmilla, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder. “I’m terribly sorry, Carmilla. I know it's none of my business as an innkeeper to make assumptions about my guests, but I saw the spark between you two.”

 

“Yeah,” Carmilla said. “And now that’s ruined.”

 

The innkeeper’s eyes glittered with optimism. “You never know what might happen, though. Christmas is a time for miracles.” 

 

“I doubt it. But thanks anyway. Merry Christmas.” 

 

“Merry Christmas, dearie.”

 

Crestfallen, Carmilla gathered her belongings and exited the front door of Candy Cane Corner one last time. 

 

❄❄❄ 

 

Cars. Cars everywhere. Laura leaned her head against the window of her Uber as her driver slugged along through the LA traffic, watching the sun set over the city. Los Angeles had always been on the top of her list of places to visit, but never over the holidays. The view sure was beautiful, but the aesthetic of Christmas lights wrapped around palm trees just wasn't appealing to her little Canadian heart. And no snow! An utter travesty. 

 

But she wasn't here for tourism. She was here on a mission. 

 

In an attempt to ease her jitters, She decided to call her dad—he would probably want to know that she spontaneously flew to the other side of the continent to chase after some girl she had just met only three days ago. Wow, it certainly seemed odd when she put it that way. 

 

Sherman picked up after a few rings. “Hi sweetheart! Merry Christmas!” 

 

“Hi, Dad!” Laura answered. “Merry Christmas to you too! How’s the snow? I heard about the storm.” 

 

“The weather’s fine out here! It’s just barely starting to snow. How’s it going in Indiana? I hope it’s not too lonely out there being alone for the holiday.” 

 

“Um, actually...” Laura began picking nervously at a loose thread on the hem of her jacket. “I’m kind of in California right now.”

 

There was a brief, silence-filled pause before her dad responded. “I’m sorry, did you say  _ California?  _ How did that happen?” 

 

Laura’s cheeks flushed. “Well, it's kind of a very long, very weird story, but basically I have feelings for my ex boss’s daughter but I did something stupid and now I’m going to her sister’s house to try to win her back.” 

 

She could hear her father exhale deeply on the other end of the call. And then he chuckled. “That's my Laura, going off on another extremely reckless adventure. I’m proud of you for going after what you want.”

 

Laura grinned. “Thanks, Dad. I promise I’ll be back soon, and then we can celebrate Christmas and New Years together.”

 

“Okay. But I can't promise I won't watch the BBC specials without you.”

 

“Hey! You said you would wait!” 

 

“Alright, fine, I’ll wait. By the way, you won't have to worry about me being alone on Christmas Day. Your friends Lafontaine and Perry invited me over to their house for dinner when they found out you wouldn't make it,” Sherman said.

 

“Great. My friends are replacing me with my dad,” Laura laughed. “Tell them I said hi.” 

 

“I will. And you go get that girl.” 

 

“Okay. Merry Christmas.” 

 

“Merry Christmas, honey.”

 

It didn't take long after that for her to arrive at the address Mattie had supplied her. Laura was instantly overcome with nerves as she knocked on the door of the very nice-looking house in front of her. 

 

As soon as the door opened, Mattie appeared, looking no less intimidating in person. 

 

“Laura, welcome,” she said, flashing her glittering smile and unexpectedly pulling Laura into a hug. Laura followed her inside, which was just as immaculate and luxurious as the exterior. “Make yourself at home, Carmilla’s flight isn't supposed to arrive for another hour.”

 

Laura sat down on one of the posh leather sofas in the room, glad to finally be sitting somewhere other than a moving vehicle for the first time in several hours. “Thank you so much again for having me,” she said to Mattie. 

 

“Like I said before, I just want my sister to be happy,” Mattie replied. 

 

Just then, a muscular young man with dark hair entered the room. “Ah, you must be Carmilla’s new girl. Or ex girl? Either way, hey. I’m Will,” he said, extending his hand for Laura to shake. 

 

“Yep, that's me,” Laura said with a tight lipped smile. “You're Carm’s brother?” 

 

“The one and only. Speaking of siblings, you got any sisters?” He said, smirking. 

 

“No.” Laura said sternly, giving him her best side-eye.

 

“Come on, William. I’m going to need your help in the kitchen,” Mattie said, and they both exited the room, leaving Laura alone.

 

Now that she was able to get a good look around the room, it became clear that Carmilla’s family really didn’t care much for Christmas tradition. Aside from a tree in the corner of the room dressed in a perfect array of silver and gold bulbs, there was not a single decoration in sight. Mattie didn't seem to have many sentimental keepsakes in general, with the exception of a few photos of her and her siblings. Laura’s eye caught one photo in particular, of what appeared to be a teenaged Carmilla dancing with Mattie, both of them looking happy and at peace.

 

Seeing her so carefree made Laura feel even more ashamed for even implying that Carmilla was anything like her fun-hating mother. It also made her heart flutter, thinking about the sweet girl she grew to know over the past few days.

 

In an attempt to distract herself, Laura pulled out her laptop to work again on her article. 

 

❄❄❄

 

Carmilla: plane just landed. Am I taking a cab or are you driving?

 

Mattie: Sorry sis, I got held up in the kitchen and can't come to get you. See you soon!

 

“Great,” Carmilla mumbled to herself, slipping her phone back into her jacket pocket. Not even her own sister cared enough about her. “Guess I’ll call a cab.” 

 

She walked through the third airport she had visited that week, trying to find the exit. Her heart felt heavier than it had in a long time. She longed to feel happy again, the way she had, laying with Laura under the covers in a bed so far away, in a morning that felt like years rather than hours ago. 

 

The cab ride to Mattie’s was largely uneventful. The driver attempted to make conversation with her, but she didn't offer much back. Instead, she stared out the window at the glittering city lights, trying not to feel numb.

 

About an hour later, her ride pulled up in front of Mattie’s house. Pulling her suitcase behind her, Carmilla climbed the front steps and rang the doorbell. 

 

The door swung open.

 

“Hey, Ma—” Carmilla froze at the sight that greeted her. 

 

“Hey,” Laura said carefully, leaning against the doorframe and looking extremely small and nervous. Behind her, Mattie and Will waited behind her, both with the same, smug, shit-eating grin.

 

“ _ Laura, _ ” Carmilla breathed. “What the hell are you doing here?” 

 

Laura opened her mouth to explain, but before she had a chance to say anything, Carmilla had dropped her suitcase and was lunging toward the girl. They crashed together, their lips meeting instantly, hands finding waists and shoulders and the backs of necks, each woman greedily pulling the other closer while pushing themselves forward as if they couldn't get close enough. 

 

“I came here to apologize,” Laura said as she pulled away, short of breath. “After you left, I realized I made a huge mistake.” She punctuated her sentence with a kiss. “Mattie explained everything.” Another kiss. “I’m so sorry.” 

 

“I thought you had gone back home,” Carmilla said between kisses. “You were gone when I went back to the inn, and—”

 

“Wait, you came back?” 

 

“Of course I did. I was angry, and I wanted to set the record straight for once in my life.” Carmilla tightened her hold around Laura’s neck as she pressed their foreheads together, nuzzling Laura’s nose with her own. “I can't believe you flew all the way out here,” she said.

 

“I had to.” Laura pulled away, looking into Carmilla’s eyes, her thumbs stroking along Carmilla’s cheeks. “I was wrong; you are nothing like her. You are Carm, and you’re amazing.” 

 

Carmilla’s breath hitched, and her eyes began to prickle with tears. Her hand moved to smooth Laura’s silky, honey-colored hair away from her face. 

 

“And I am so,  _ so _ sorry for making you think otherwise,” Laura said. You are one of the sweetest, most beautiful people I have ever met, and I don't want to let you go.”

 

And with that, they were kissing again—this time less frantically, more languid and passionate. Mattie and Will had long left, retreating further inside the house to give them some space. But frankly, Carmilla didn't really care if they were watching. She didn't even care of anyone on the street was watching either. She was perfectly content with kissing Laura on the front steps, in the brisk California evening. She had felt more at home in the arms of this girl than she had anywhere else in the world. 

 

“Are you two done yet?” Will’s voiced called from inside. 

 

“Not even close,” Carmilla shouted, sticking her middle finger in his general direction.

 

“You better get it out of your systems now! There will be no PDA in my house,” Mattie added. 

 

Laura snickered. “So, your siblings seem nice.” 

 

Carmilla laughed, pulling Laura in closer. “Isn't it a little soon for you to be meeting the family?” She mumbled into her neck. 

 

Laura chuckled. “Don't worry, you’ll have your chance to meet my dad soon enough, she said, slipping her arms into Carmilla’s jacket. 

 

Carmilla was in California, wrapped in the arms of the most incredible woman in the world. But for all she cared, she was in heaven. 

  
  


❄ DECEMBER 25 ❄ 

 

_ Epilogue: One Year Later... _

 

“Carm,” Laura called from the kitchen, narrowly preventing an avalanche of pots and pans from tumbling out of the cupboard. “Can you come in here? I need your help!” 

 

Seconds later, a pair of arms were snaking around Laura’s middle from behind. Carmilla pressed a soft kiss to her neck, then rested her chin against Laura’s shoulder. “Hey,” she said. 

 

“Hey,” Laura replied, turning around in her girlfriend’s arms. “Can you get the nice plates for me?” She asked, gesturing to the tallest shelf in their kitchen. 

 

“I’m not even that much taller than you!” Carmilla whined. “If you can't get them, I probably can't either.” 

 

“Fine. Our guests will be here soon, we can just get one of them to do it,” Laura resorted. “I don't know why we even bother to use that shelf.” 

 

Laura was amazed at how quickly this apartment was beginning to feel like home. After months of splitting her time equally between her dad’s place and Carmilla’s tiny apartment, Laura had finally had enough and suggested that she and Carmilla get their own place together. Of course, this was only after Laura had been steadily putting away money from her brand new job at the Toronto Planet, a new up-and-coming magazine. To her surprise, Mattie had pulled some strings and was able to clear Laura’s name, inviting her back into the world of journalism. Lilita was also facing the legal consequences of Karnstein Publishing’s inhumane working conditions. According to Mattie, the legal details were still confidential, but she wouldn’t have to worry about Lilita’s meddling anymore. 

 

Laura still kept her travel blog as a side business—although now, Carmilla accompanied her on all her trips. In fact, their bags were already packed for another journey. 

 

“You know, as much as I’m enjoying celebrating our first Christmas in our new apartment, I can't wait to celebrate New Year's in Paris,” Laura said, finding her way back to Carmilla’s arms. 

 

“Mm,” Carmilla hummed, stroking her finger along Laura’s lips. “I’ll show you all of the sites, and we’ll eat all the chocolate croissants your little heart desires, and we’ll watch the fireworks from the balcony of our hotel,” she said, lightly pressing her lips to Laura’s cheek. 

 

“Sounds divine,” Laura replied. “Let’s hope we don't get blown off course by a blizzard again.” 

 

Carmilla pushed Laura against the countertop, gripping her hips. Laura lifted herself up onto it, nearly knocking over a picture frame in the process. The photo in the frame was an exact copy of the one they had decided to use for their Christmas card—a photo of Laura and Carmilla by the Christmas tree in their living room, with Laura a holding up mistletoe over herself and Carmilla kissing her on the cheek. They had proudly sent copies to all their friends, including a certain innkeeper out in Silas, Indiana. The past year had brought a whirlwind of exciting new changes to both of their lives, and it had all started one snowy night with Mrs. Christenberry and her inn. And for that, they had to thank her.

 

“Cupcake, I don't care where we end up, as long as we’re there together,” Carmilla whispered, settling between Laura’s legs. Placing her hands on her girlfriend’s thighs, she leaned upward to kiss her. 

 

Their kiss was interrupted by a knock at the door. 

 

“Open up!” Mattie’s traveled through the wooden barrier, which they had locked. 

 

“Go away, we’re busy!” Carmilla shouted, earning a gentle smack in the shoulder from Laura. 

 

“Merry Christmas to you too, sis.”

 

“Now let us in, or we’ll break the door down!” Lafontaine added.

 

“Laura Eileen Hollis, you better be decent!” Her father chimed in.

 

Laura hopped off the counter, still entrapped by Carmilla. She placed her arms around her girlfriend. 

 

“I hate our family,” Carmilla said, rolling her eyes.

 

“Be nice, it's Christmas,” Laura scolded her. Then, she leaned forward, her lips nearly touching Carmilla’s ear. “And I still have one more present for you tonight if you behave.” 

 

Carmilla raised her eyebrows. “Deal.” 

 

Laura kissed her on the cheek. “Merry Christmas, Carm. I love you,” she said. 

 

Carmilla kissed her back. “I love you too, cupcake. Merry Christmas.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! As always, you can find me on tumblr (ukulelekatie), twitter (ukulele_katie), and instagram (ukulelekatie).


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